iPhone 8 - Replacing the Lightning connector

1. Turn your iPhone off completely to protect it from a potential short circuit. To do this, press the standby button for about three seconds until the slider "Turn off" appears on the screen.
2. Swipe the slider from left to right and wait until your iPhone has completely shut down.

• 2 × 3.4mm Pentalobe

You need a pentalobe screwdriver (PL1) to open the iPhone 8.

1. Loosen the two Pentalobe screws on the left and right side of the Lightning Connector and put them into a screw storage.

We recommend you using a screw storage to avoid losing any of the removed parts or screws. You can convert an old sewing box for this purpose. We at iDoc use a high quality magnetic mat for our repairs, which allows the removed parts to be arranged in the same way as they were in the phone. This way you know exactly where each screw was located, which makes it much easier for you to assemble later.

The iPhone 8 is opened via the display, which is strongly glued to the rest of the case. To open it, you have to heat the adhesive first.

1. First, place your iPhone 8 on a soft and clean surface to avoid scratches when lifting the display.T
2. Then use a hot air tool, such as a hot air dryer or a regular hairdryer, to evenly cover the outside of the display.

The rule of thumb is to heat your device only to the extent that you can still touch it without burning your fingers.

Opening the iPhone 8 will void the warranty of protection against dust and splashing water, as well as the warranty of waterproofness.

1. Press a suction cup on the display above the Home button and pull it upwards to create a narrow gap between the aluminium and display frames.
2. Insert a flat plastic tool into the narrow gap between the aluminum and display frames. Try to enlarge the gap by pushing the aluminium frame upwards with the tool. We use flat plastic picks for this.

Be careful not to insert the picks on the side of the standby button too far to avoid damaging the display's flex cable.

1. Now move the pick once around the display. To prevent the adhesive from reattaching to the already loosened areas, heat the edge of the display again and again and leave individual picks in the device frame.

As long as it is still connected, you must never open the display more than 180°, otherwise the sensitive flex cables may tear.

1. Gently push the display upwards with the plectrum to release the lugs from the aluminium frame.
2. Then open it laterally towards the standby button. Lean the display against a stable object to avoid overstretching the flexible cables.

• 2 × 2.6 mm Phillips
• 2 × 1.0 mm Phillips

Before starting the repair, disconnect the battery connector to prevent short circuits and avoid accidentally turning on your device during the repair.

1. Use a phillips screwdriver to remove the four phillips screws. Then carefully take off the cover with tweezers.
2. Now disconnect the battery connector by carefully levering it off with a lever tool. For this purpose we use a plastic spudger.

• Connector

1. Use the spudger to also disconnect the display connectors (display and home button).

• 3 × 1.0 mm Phillips

1. Unscrew the three Phillips screws from the cover plate above the connector.
2. Use tweezers to remove the cover plate from your iPhone 8.
3. Carefully separate the FaceTime connector from the board with a spudger.
4. Now you can remove the display completely.

• 1 × 2.9 mm Phillips
• 1 × 3.0 mm Standoff
• Connector

1. Loosen the screws and remove the cover plate of the iSight camera.

Special screwdrivers are available for the stand-off screw. But you can also use an ordinary, narrow slotted screwdriver.

1. Gently slide the plastic spudger under the camera's connector and lift it off.
2. Now take the camera out of your iPhone 8.

• 1 × 1.1 mm Phillips
• 1 × 2.7 mm Phillips

1. First remove the screws of the bracket plate.
2. Take the bracket plate out of your device.
3. Disconnect the connector from the logicboard, by levering it carefully with a plastic spudger.

• 2 × 1.2 mm Philliips
• 2 × 1.0 mm Philliips
• 1 × 2.5 mm Phillips
• 1 × 1.4 mm Phillips

1. First loosen the screws of the plastic bracket.

One of the screws is screwed into the side of the backcover.

1. Then take out the plastic bracket. Under it there are more screws, with which a kind of connector is fixed.
2. Remove the screws of the connector and take it out.

• 1 × 1.3 mm Phillips
• 1 × 1.2 mm Phillips
• Connector

1. First remove the Phillips screws that secure the antenna.
2. Then remove the connector from the board.
3. Loosen the slightly stuck antenna by heating it with a little hot air and carefully levering it off with a spatula.

1. You can use the SIM tool or a paper clip to remove the SIM card holder. Press the SIM tool into the small hole next to the SIM card holder.

• Connector

1. Use a spudger to carefully disconnect the three connectors on the battery side of the logicboard.

• 1 × 2.4 mm Standoff
• 1 × 2.1 mm Standoff
• 1 × 1.6 mm Phillips

1. Unscrew all screws that hold the logic board in place.

The Phillips screw is covered by a sticker (see photo).

2. Now you can carefully remove the logic board by hand. Next to the two holes for the iSight camera, there is a plastic holder for a screw.. This plastic holder is placed on top of the logicboard.

• 1 × 1.2 mm Y-type
• 1 × 2.9 mm Phillips
• 1 × 2.5 mm Phillips
• 1 × 1.4 mm Phillips
• 1 × 2.1 mm Phillips

1. First loosen the screws of the cover plate that lies over the connector of the flex cable and put it aside.
2. Then disconnect the connector of the flex cable and lift it up.
3. Then loosen the screws of the speaker.
4. You can now lift out the speaker and the flex cable.

• 1 × 2.0 mm Standoff
• 1 × 2.0 mm Phillips

1. First detach the small flex cable above the connector of the Taptic Engine with a spudger or tweezers.
2. Then loosen the screws that secure the Taptic Engine.
3. Carefully lever the Taptic Engine connector with a spudger and remove the Taptic Engine from your device.

The following steps are with the battery removed. However, you don't need to remove the battery to replace the Lightning connector.

• 1 × 1.7 mm Phillips
• 1 × 1.9 mm Phillips

1. Unscrew the two screws on the barometric vent.
2. Carefully pull off the barometric vent using tweezers. It is slightly glued on.

• 2 × 2.1 mm Phillips
• 3 × 1.2 mm Phillips

1. Now remove the Phillips screws.

The two screws, which are screwed into the edge of the housing, are hidden under black stickers.

1. Heat the glued flex cable of the Lightning Connector and carefully separate it with the flat side of the steel spatula from the bottom of the housing.
2. Loosen the Lightning Connector and the two gold microphones with the spatula or spudger.
3. Carefully pull off the flex cable with your fingers or tweezers.

Now prepare the spare part.

1. Remove and reuse the 2 rubber seals on the back of the microphones. They make the microphones sit properly.
2. Then remove the protective films of the adhesive surfaces of the new Lightning connector.

• 2 × 2.1 mm Phillips
• 3 × 1.2 mm Phillips

1. Drücke das Flexkabel des Lightning Connectors an seiner ursprünglichen Stelle flach auf dem Boden des Backcover fest.
2. Presse die zwei Mikrofone, die am Flexkabel integriert sind, in ihre Führungen am Rand des Backcovers.
3. Fixiere nun den Lightning Connector mit allen zuvor gelösten Schrauben.

• 1 × 1.7 mm Phillips
• 1 × 1.9 mm Phillips

1. Put the barometric vent back in its place.
2. Fasten it using the two screws.

• 1 × 2.0 mm Standoff
• 1 × 2.0 mm Phillips

1. Put the Taptic Engine back between the battery and the Lightning connector.

Make sure the screw holes of the Taptic Engine sit correctly, in order to avoid damaging the screws.

1. Connect the Taptic Engine’s connector.
2. Screw the Taptic Engine tight with the Standoff- and Phillips screw.
3. Insert the mini flex cable and attach its connector.

• 1 × 2.1 mm Phillips
• 1 × 1.4 mm Phillips
• 1 × 1.2 mm Y-type
• 1 × 2.9 mm Phillips
• 1 × 2.5 mm Phillips

1. Place the speaker back in its original position in the rear case and press it down.
2. Now you can fasten the speaker using the two Phillips-screws.
3. Press in the connector of the speaker.
4. Reinsert the bracket plate over the flex cable and fasten it using the three screws.

• 1 × 2.4 mm Standoff
• 1 × 2.1 mm Standoff
• 1 × 1.6 mm Phillips

1. Reinsert the logicboard in its original position.

The camera holder should be on top of the logicboard (over the screw hole on the top right in the image).

1. Fasten the logic board using the screws.

• Connector

Connect the three connectors of the logicboard.

1. First position the connectors over their sockets and then carefully press them in with your finger.

1. Now insert the SIM card tray into its slot.

If you’re having trouble sliding it in, check the position of the logicboard.

• 1 × 1.3 mm Phillips
• 1 × 1.2 mm Phillips
• Connector

1. Put the Wi-Fi antenna back in its original position and gently press it on to restore the adhesion.
2. Connect the antenna's connector.
3. Then, attach the bracket plate with the two Phillips-screws.

• 1 × 2.5 mm Phillips
• 1 × 1.4 mm Phillips
• 2 × 1.2 mm Phillips
• 2 × 1.0 mm Phillips

1. Put the connecting piece back into its position and fasten it with the Phillips-screws.
2. Now reinstall the plastic bracket and fasten it with Phillips-screws as well.

• Connector
• 1 × 2.9 mm Phillips
• 1 × 3.0 mm Standoff

1. Press the camera back into its opening.
2. Attach the camera connector.
3. Put the bracket plate of the camera back on and screw it tight.

• Connector
• 1 × 1.1 mm Phillips
• 1 × 2.7 mm Phillips

1. Attach the connector of the volume control cable again.
2. Put the bracket plate back on the connector and fasten it with the screws.

After attaching a new adhesive frame, iPhone 8 is again protected against dust and splash water, but is no longer 100% waterproof.

1. First remove all adhesive residue on the metal frame and display to ensure that the new adhesive frame fits properly.
2. Try to align the adhesive frame with the back cover of your iPhone in order to position it correctly.

The corners are different and help with orientation.

1. Remove the first protective film from the adhesive frame.
2. Then place it on one side and apply it gradually to the edge of the back cover.
3. Now also remove the remaining protective films so that only a thin strip of transparent adhesive film remains on the edge of the iPhone.

• Connector
• 3 × 1,0 mm Phillips-Schraube

1. Place the display upright on the frame and connect the FaceTime connector to the logicboard.
2. Place the display on the side of the backcover.
3. Place the cover plate over the FaceTime-connector and fix it with the three Phillips screws.

• Connector

1. Connect the two display connectors (display and home button) to the logicboard again.

• Connector
• 2 × 2.6 mm Phillips
• 2 × 1,0 mm Phillips-Schraube

1. Reconnect the battery by reattaching the battery connector.
2. Put the bracket plate over the battery connector and secure it with the four screws.

• Wrong position
• Right position

1. Place the display on the side of the back cover and carefully fold it over.

Make sure that the silver chip on the cable is positioned exactly as before (see photo). Otherwise, you will see discolorations and spots on the screen at this exact spot after installation. If you notice this error, check the position of the cable again and align the chip exactly like in our photo.

2. Then press the display firmly over the entire surface.

• 2 × 3.4 mm Pentalobe

1. Screw the two pentalobe screws left and right of the Lightning connector back into the rear case.